The sound of rushing wind filled Susan's ears as she slid the door open, revealing an expanse of fleecy white clouds drifting peacefully under the midday sun. Susan extended a small white moccasin out onto the narrow steel grate walkway of the Ark II airship. The young girl steadied herself on the cold steel railing as the wind pushed back on her small frame. She grinned in excited determination, looking over the rail at the world below.
When most travelers aboard the Ark II luxury airship get bored, they look out the window, the view from twenty thousand feet usually isn't too bad. But staring through a porthole wasn't good enough for Susan Scarros. At the age of 17, she'd spent more time on an airship then most Earthborn twice her age. Her father was a successful merchant and traveling was part of the job.
Susan had ridden the Ark II many times before, the week-long journeys bored her to death. Exploring the great airship was her way of passing the time.
Most Skyborn children born on these ships roam free around the craft. It's through this freedom to explore and stay out of trouble that young Skyborn development their natural abilities, an early career path that advances with the start of their apprenticeships.
Susan tried her best to get along with the Skyborn children. She had a hard time getting them to stop treating her like a passenger, they were all incredibly disciplined. They were nice enough to let her tag along in their daily activities; passing the time watching the workers scurry around the loading dock, or drawing chalk murals on the top deck. But every day they would all disappear into rooms she wasn't allowed in, and she wanted to know why.
Susan shivered as looked down the rickety walkway that clung precariously to the hull of the Ark II, her eyes landed on the porthole she was looking for. It was this room that she had seen a few of her closest Skyborn friends disappear into every day at exactly the same time. Every time she asked, the answer remained vague, "Grandpa's Room" was all she ever got.
Adjacent to the Ark II was the Sleipnir, a dreadnaught airship that guarded the small fleet. On the underbelly of the riveted steel behemoth was a small gunners turret, an upside-down dome that housed a row of Dynamo Harpoon Cannons manned at all times by Sleipnir soldiers, commanded by Lieutenant Sara Alto, a short, stern looking woman who wore a tight bun of blonde hair and a drab green uniform, adorned with pins marking her rank.
It was Alto that first spotted the small figure crawling out of the Ark II's maintenance hatch. The female Lieutenant leaned forward in her observation chair, nose almost touching the glass dome of her the viewing canopy.
"Dackwood, are you seeing this?!"
Private Dackwood spun around in his gunner's chair below her "Looks like a passenger girl!"
"And what the hell is she doing...", Alto growled. These damn Earthborn were always pushing the rules.
Alto and the private watched as the girl made her way across the hull of the Ark II, white dress flapping in the wind. The Sleipnir had drifted slightly above the other vessel now and Alto shifted her gaze, watching intently, face showing real concern for the Earthborn girl.
Without warning, a thin support rod gave way and a section of grate fell out from underneath Sara. She let out a high pitched scream as she felt gravity pull her down. A sharp pain burst from behind her ears as her head cracked against the steel grate. She grasped for the railing furiously but was already watching it rise above her. Sheer panic filled her entire body as she realized her reality.
Suddenly, she felt a yank on her hip and her world stopped falling. She thrashed wildly as she reached out to feel...feel the cold hull of the airship. Blood rushed to her head as she looked up, realizing she was hanging upside down and realizing still that her dress had gotten caught on the edge of an armor plate, a thick section of steel protecting the airship's hull. She couldn't process what was happening as the shock of the moment clouded her mind... the back of her head felt oddly warm, she could feel her mind start to darken as she let out another hair-raising scream.
"Holy fucking hell, is she hanging?!"
Alto and Dackwood were out of their seats now, along with most of the company, all crowded against the glass of the observation canopy. Soldiers muttered to each other in quiet fear.
"Is she alive?" "Did you see her fall?!" "Who is she?"
Lieutenant Alto, who'd see the whole event unfurl now watched her idle crew pointing in awe at the little girl hanging from the adjacent airship. She took a sharp inhale in...
"WILL SOMEONE PLEASE CALL THE ARK II TOWER," Alto shouted loud enough to make all crew members snap out of the moment.
"Radio's are down ma'am! Electricity storm brewing overhead."
Alto groaned in frustration, eyes flitting back to the helpless ragdoll hanging by literal threads off the neighboring airship.
"Do you think anybody heard her?" Dackwood remarked.
"No one's going to hear her now, she's out cold," Alto said through gritted teeth. "How long till we're out of this electricity storm?"
"Looks like it's going to be awhile ma'am, it's a big one", said a voice in the back.
"Fuck", Alto muttered, she scanned the side of the Ark II intently for any signs of activity, any signs of help for this stupid girl. She stood for a minute, arms crossed tightly, eyes narrowed, looking at the limp figure across the way. She realized her battalion was all looking at her. She turned to the private.
"Dackwood how far is your harpoon line?"
Private Dackwood looked confused. "Ah sheesh, 200 yards at least"
"I need you to shoot the Ark II"
Dackwood laughed nervously, his hands wringing around the yoke of his gun. "Shoot our other ship ma'am?"
"Yes Dackwood, I need a good shot too, right above the girl. Keep your finger off the shock discharge though."
"What are you—"
"I'm going over there." Alto cut off the private as she grabbed a sky harness and rope anchor. "On your harpoon line."
"Lieutenant, I don't think I can —"
"Just don't miss, okay Dackwood? This Earthborn has already got enough attention today."
When most travelers aboard the Ark II luxury airship get bored, they look out the window, the view from twenty thousand feet usually isn't too bad. But staring through a porthole wasn't good enough for Susan Scarros. At the age of 17, she'd spent more time on an airship then most Earthborn twice her age. Her father was a successful merchant and traveling was part of the job.
Susan had ridden the Ark II many times before, the week-long journeys bored her to death. Exploring the great airship was her way of passing the time.
Most Skyborn children born on these ships roam free around the craft. It's through this freedom to explore and stay out of trouble that young Skyborn development their natural abilities, an early career path that advances with the start of their apprenticeships.
Susan tried her best to get along with the Skyborn children. She had a hard time getting them to stop treating her like a passenger, they were all incredibly disciplined. They were nice enough to let her tag along in their daily activities; passing the time watching the workers scurry around the loading dock, or drawing chalk murals on the top deck. But every day they would all disappear into rooms she wasn't allowed in, and she wanted to know why.
Susan shivered as looked down the rickety walkway that clung precariously to the hull of the Ark II, her eyes landed on the porthole she was looking for. It was this room that she had seen a few of her closest Skyborn friends disappear into every day at exactly the same time. Every time she asked, the answer remained vague, "Grandpa's Room" was all she ever got.
Adjacent to the Ark II was the Sleipnir, a dreadnaught airship that guarded the small fleet. On the underbelly of the riveted steel behemoth was a small gunners turret, an upside-down dome that housed a row of Dynamo Harpoon Cannons manned at all times by Sleipnir soldiers, commanded by Lieutenant Sara Alto, a short, stern looking woman who wore a tight bun of blonde hair and a drab green uniform, adorned with pins marking her rank.
It was Alto that first spotted the small figure crawling out of the Ark II's maintenance hatch. The female Lieutenant leaned forward in her observation chair, nose almost touching the glass dome of her the viewing canopy.
"Dackwood, are you seeing this?!"
Private Dackwood spun around in his gunner's chair below her "Looks like a passenger girl!"
"And what the hell is she doing...", Alto growled. These damn Earthborn were always pushing the rules.
Alto and the private watched as the girl made her way across the hull of the Ark II, white dress flapping in the wind. The Sleipnir had drifted slightly above the other vessel now and Alto shifted her gaze, watching intently, face showing real concern for the Earthborn girl.
Without warning, a thin support rod gave way and a section of grate fell out from underneath Sara. She let out a high pitched scream as she felt gravity pull her down. A sharp pain burst from behind her ears as her head cracked against the steel grate. She grasped for the railing furiously but was already watching it rise above her. Sheer panic filled her entire body as she realized her reality.
Suddenly, she felt a yank on her hip and her world stopped falling. She thrashed wildly as she reached out to feel...feel the cold hull of the airship. Blood rushed to her head as she looked up, realizing she was hanging upside down and realizing still that her dress had gotten caught on the edge of an armor plate, a thick section of steel protecting the airship's hull. She couldn't process what was happening as the shock of the moment clouded her mind... the back of her head felt oddly warm, she could feel her mind start to darken as she let out another hair-raising scream.
"Holy fucking hell, is she hanging?!"
Alto and Dackwood were out of their seats now, along with most of the company, all crowded against the glass of the observation canopy. Soldiers muttered to each other in quiet fear.
"Is she alive?"
"Did you see her fall?!"
"Who is she?"
Lieutenant Alto, who'd see the whole event unfurl now watched her idle crew pointing in awe at the little girl hanging from the adjacent airship. She took a sharp inhale in...
"WILL SOMEONE PLEASE CALL THE ARK II TOWER," Alto shouted loud enough to make all crew members snap out of the moment.
"Radio's are down ma'am! Electricity storm brewing overhead."
Alto groaned in frustration, eyes flitting back to the helpless ragdoll hanging by literal threads off the neighboring airship.
"Do you think anybody heard her?" Dackwood remarked.
"No one's going to hear her now, she's out cold," Alto said through gritted teeth. "How long till we're out of this electricity storm?"
"Looks like it's going to be awhile ma'am, it's a big one", said a voice in the back.
"Fuck", Alto muttered, she scanned the side of the Ark II intently for any signs of activity, any signs of help for this stupid girl. She stood for a minute, arms crossed tightly, eyes narrowed, looking at the limp figure across the way. She realized her battalion was all looking at her. She turned to the private.
"Dackwood how far is your harpoon line?"
Private Dackwood looked confused. "Ah sheesh, 200 yards at least"
"I need you to shoot the Ark II"
Dackwood laughed nervously, his hands wringing around the yoke of his gun. "Shoot our other ship ma'am?"
"Yes Dackwood, I need a good shot too, right above the girl. Keep your finger off the shock discharge though."
"What are you—"
"I'm going over there." Alto cut off the private as she grabbed a sky harness and rope anchor. "On your harpoon line."
"Lieutenant, I don't think I can —"
"Just don't miss, okay Dackwood? This Earthborn has already got enough attention today."